My '86 200 fourtrax was my first quad and i've had it for what seems like forever, and it has been the absolute most reliable thing ever. No matter how long it sits, (even 4 months), it will always start on the first pull (took the battery out cause i don't ride it that often anymore). The only replacement parts the bike has ever needed because they've worn out have been a couple sets of tires and probably 6-8 chains, and one set of rear brake pads. That doesn't include the two front A-arms and one shock that i replaced when i wrecked it doing 55 mph on the street while racing another quad and slammed into another quad that pulled right out in front of me and stopped. And yes, it did an actual 55mph with the stock balloon tires and a 14-tooth front sprocket when i was 13 years old and only weighed about 100 lbs...in fact last week i was riding it and had it clocked at 51mph. So it's been rolled and cartwheeled numerous numerous times, crashed into many trees, ridden most often with two people, pulled huge logs around my yard, and abused and abused and abused, but kept on going without requiring any work put into it. It's getting pretty ugly now with all it's dings and broken fenders and smashed rims and bumpers, but it's always been my ol' reliable little honda...

But this past weekend i bought a new polaris that i couldn't be happier with, and as funny as it sounds, my honda is jealous that it is being replaced and is rebelling. For the first time ever, as i rode the honda around the yard this weekend i heard the engine make funny noises and then i smelled burning oil. So i checked the oil level and it was way low, even though none had leaked out on the garage floor and there was no evidence of it on the bottom of the engine anywhere. So i filled it back up with oil and started it back up (still starts fine!), but it's blowing white smoke out the pipe like crazy. So my first guess (and hope) is just that it needs new rings. I've never had the engine apart so i'm not sure what i'll find, but was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience with their 200sx engine and what it turned out to be.

And i would've replaced my honda with another honda, but they don't make a bike that has the same versatility as the polaris scrambler that i bought.

But this ol' honda sure is one helluva testament as to honda reliability...it absolutely amazes me that it's lasted almost 18 years under HARSH abuse and has never had any problems until now. I highly doubt my polaris will run like that almost 20 years from now!

-Ron-

 

my 200SX put up with my abuse in the 90's and now is putting up with my chick friends abuse in the dunes as I let them ride it. To bad they leave it floored in 2nd gear all day long!!!
There is a chance you just over filled your oil, id drain it and re-fill to its 2qt limit. I overfilled mine a few years back and it did the same thing, corrected the level and its running like new.

 

it sounds like the rings are gone. these are good little quads. i love mine, i can put it almost everywhere the big 4x4's go too.

 

my old trx 125 did the same exact thing. it was running perfect, it wasnt buring oil, i checked it every day. so one day i got done riding and checked the oil and it was barely shoing on the dipstick so i put oil in it and i noticed it smoking real bad and i knew it was burning oil cuz it was wight smoke. my unckle told me it was the oil ring and he tore it down and the oil ring was busted, so we rebuit the topend it want dew for a rebuild anyway, and it has run perfect ever since then, i even take it for a ride every now and then, its pretty much my sisters now though. well good luck on getting it fixed. i cant really tell you why it happened. probly just the age of the bike. but you cant complain about it. them old hondas are great, you can just beat then and beat them and beat them and they dont give up but everything has to be replaces sometime. nothings invincable, although the old hondas are pretty close lol [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

My trx200sx does the same thing. I beat that thing and put it away wet and then repeated the process a million times. I rode the wheels off of it. Litterally. I let the front wheel bearings get so bad that i was riding it and the whole wheel fell off. This thing has so many miles and hours of hard riding on it and numerous crashes I crashed so many times with it i broke the grab bar welded it once, broke it off again, so then i just welded it directly to the frame. I really never did any maitnence either. I have replaced one of my a-arms from hitting a tree flying down the trail 7 years ago when I was 12. I never had to many problems other than the axle bolts coming loose and stripping out. Right now the clutch plates are almost wore out and it smokes bad. I think it needs new rings. I have retired the old girl to my heated garage and acasionally gets ridden by my little sister.